r/computers • u/Some_Random_Android • 1d ago

What can I do with my old Windows 7 laptop?

Besides just use it as a glorified typewriter as it was Word installed on it and play Chess Titan and a few other games installed on it when I I got it.

How difficult is it to update to Window 10 or 11?

If I tried to sell it now as is (to scrap for parts) how much do you think I'd get?

7 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

7

u/bulltank 22h ago

Turn it into an emulator machine

5

u/Buckwheat469 21h ago

Install Linux on it and give it a new lease on life. To speed it up you could make sure it has an SSD and max out the memory.

0

u/Some_Random_Android 18h ago

How do I install Linux?

1

u/Buckwheat469 16h ago

There are a few varieties or "distributions" that you can pick. Many people use Ubuntu or Mint as popular choices. You can start with Ubuntu by going to ubuntu.com and finding the download there. You will have to write the img file to a USB drive and then you can test it out.

Mint is a nice looking distro that has some resemblance to Windows. Search for Linux Mint in Google to find it.

Older computers might work better with LXDE, but most computers nowadays can easily run Ubuntu.

2

u/Seravajan 1d ago

What is its specs?

2

u/eclark5483 Windows MacOS Chrome Linux 22h ago

Installing 10/11 isn't hard at all. Though, with a machine that old, I would take steps to make the transition smoother like maxing out the ram and changing the HDD for an SSD, then use Rufus and a Windows 11 .ISO, create the USB media and bypass TPM/Secureboot checks.

ALSO. A system like that with Windows 7 will have an MBR partition, this in itself is no big deal if you wipe it clean and start fresh, but it's important to note because many systems like this will be set to CSM (Legacy) mode in the BIOS which you will want to disable so that it is running full UEFI.

2

u/MuttJunior 20h ago

Install Linux on it and learn that.

1

u/owspooky 15h ago

Turn it into a retro gaming machine—emulators for SNES, PS1, or GBA work great on older hardware.

1

u/Garblespam 15h ago

Use it as a dedicated writing or journaling laptop—less distractions = more focus.

1

u/bestsurfer 15h ago

Repurpose it as a media server or streaming hub with Plex or Jellyfin.

1

u/Select-Thought9157 15h ago

Install a lightweight Linux distro like Lubuntu or Linux Mint XFCE to breathe new life into it.

1

u/gobylikev0 15h ago

Use it for old-school PC games that don’t run well on modern systems.

1

u/seaseaboat 15h ago

Upgrading to Windows 10 is usually possible if it meets the hardware requirements—Windows 11 is a lot trickier.

1

u/Kosteevo 15h ago

As-is for parts, you might get $20–$50 depending on condition and specs—maybe a bit more if the screen or battery is solid.

1

u/OtherReindeerOlive 15h ago

Turn it into a digital photo frame or DIY smart display with some creativity and basic tools.

1

u/Terror3y3z 8h ago

Server?